A/N: Thank you all so much for your reviews, favorites and follows! So I have some (I think?) exciting news! I was looking at the plotting for this story and added a few more chapters. Initially, I planned on keeping it to 25 chapters, but I thought we had a bit more to explore, so now it will conclude at chapter 30. You can follow me on tumblr (nauticalparamour) where I post sneak peeks, story updates and answer questions.

Please let me know what you thought of chapter twenty and be on the look out for chapter twenty-one soon!

1998

Draco knew it was underhanded to use his meeting with his father to get Hermione to meet with him. She always grew concerned about him when he had to meet with Lucius, and Draco knew that even though they were fighting, she wouldn't turn him away when he was so pitiful and sad about the horrible things Lucius would say. It was tricky and sneaky, yes, but he just needed to get a foot in the door.

Apparating outside of her flat with firewhiskey in hand, Draco knocked once and waited for Hermione to answer. When she did, he gave her her best puppy eyes - the same that had gotten his mum to purchase him a racing broom when he was only nine years old. "Listen, I know you really don't want to talk to me right now, but..." he trailed off, looking suitable chastised. "I just came from meeting Lucius, and I-"

Hermione sighed, but stepped aside, allowing him to come into her flat. "Come on in," she said, looking concerned for him. Even though they were fighting, they were still best friends. "Make yourself at home. I'll get glasses."

Draco settled into the couch and waited for her to return. Hermione's flat was cozy and nice - much cleaner than his own flat - and he instantly felt more comfortable. When she came back, he poured them each a small portion of the firewhiskey.

She sat next to him, angled so that she could see him fully. With her legs folded against her, she looked guarded, but still worried about him. "What did Lucius say this time?" she asked, after taking a dainty sip from her glass.

Pressing a hand to his face, Draco did his best to look bashful. "To berate me for dumping Pansy. He is incredibly worried about the future of the Malfoy family and wants me to settle down with a suitable bride," he said, before peeking through his fingers to gauge her reaction.

Hermione's lips were pressed tightly together, but she still snorted at what he said. "I can't say that I share Lucius's regret that you finally dumped her," Hermione said, sounding melancholy.

"I just wish I would have done it sooner," Draco admitted. It was the truth. Being with Pansy had been very easy, in that she was incredibly convenient, but he never particularly liked her. She was just...there.

"Why were you even dating her to begin with?" Hermione asked bitterly. "It seemed like she just sort of popped up overnight."

Draco blushed at the question, but had to answer honestly if he was going to get Hermione to ever forgive him. "It was mostly physical if I'm honest," he said, letting a beat of silence pass between them. Then he looked at her, seeing the hurt clear in her face, before pressing a hand to her knee. "You know that if I had known about her calling you that word, I would have gotten rid of her a long time ago. I knew that you didn't get along, but I always just thought that she was jealous of you."

Hermione looked skeptical. "Jealous of me? What would she have to be jealous of me about?" she asked, her shoulders slumping a bit. It was nearly imperceptible, but having known Hermione for so long, Draco could see that she was feeling a bit sorry for herself.

"Because you're my best friend," he answered automatically, not even needing the think about it. "You are incredibly important to me, Hermione, and if I had to choose between a girlfriend and you, I would pick you everytime. I am just sorry that I didn't realize how bad she really was, even when you and Al and Harry were telling me."

She breathed in deeply, obviously moved by his honesty. "Well, love blinds you I suppose," she teased, finally, breaking the tension between the two of them.

"And I am sorry for freaking out about you and Alphard, you know, kissing," he said, dropping his eyes to the glass in his hand. "I didn't mean that you were off limits or to treat you like some sort of object. It caught me off guard and, if I'm honest, I was a little bit jealous. Of course, you can kiss whoever you like, even Alphard."

"Well, you don't have to worry about Alphard," Hermione laughed, growing more relaxed and comfortable around him.

"Hey, I'm not blind. I know he's a good looking bloke who loads of witches would love to date," Draco offered a conciliatory tone, even though he knew that it would kill him if Hermione and Alphard really did decide to get together.

Hermione smiled, before scrunching her nose. "No, it was too much like kissing...I don't know, my brother," she explained. "I know how weird that sounds, considering I don't have a brother, but...I don't think you have to worry about me and Alphard running off together. Now, Harry on the other hand..." she trailed off, grinning at him.

"Witch," Draco countered, knowing that she was just trying to get him riled up. "So, am I forgiven?" he asked, needing to know that he and Hermione were on good terms after their big blow up.

"Hmm," Hermione considered the question for a moment, tapping her finger against her lips. "Yes, you are forgiven, but with you are on friendship probation. You'll have to prove yourself further."

"That seems fair," Draco said, knowing that things wouldn't be totally smoothed over after just today, but feeling optimistic about his chances. Lifting his own glass, he clinked it against hers.

"Just don't go dating any other bitchy witches," Hermione made him promise. "I think that Harry and Alphard were just about at the end of their rope, too. I don't know if any of us could handle it if you dated another Pansy."

Draco hid his smile in his glass. "I'm not planning on it," he said. He wasn't planning on dating any other witches, not when he could have Hermione, the only witch he loved.